NCJ Number
51510
Journal
Revue de science criminelle et de droit penal compare Issue: 2 Dated: (APRIL-JUNE 1978) Pages: 457-464
Date Published
1978
Length
8 pages
Annotation
THE ACTIVITIES OF 2 DAYS OF THE OCTOBER 1977 EUROPEAN CONFERENCE ON SOCIAL DEFENSE DEALING WITH ECONOMIC CRIME IN GENERAL AND ITALIAN ECONOMIC CRIME IN PARTICULAR ARE SUMMARIZED.
Abstract
AS THE FIRST OF ITS KIND, THE CONFERENCE WAS ORGANIZED BY THE ITALIAN DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE BY THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR SOCIAL DEFENSE TO PROTECT STATE AND INDIVIDUAL CITIZENS AGAINST ECONOMIC OFFENSES. THE FIRST DAY, DEVOTED TO A GENERAL DISCUSSION, DEALT WITH THE PROBLEMS OF TERMINOLOGY ('WHITE COLLAR CRIME,' BUSINESS CRIME,' ECONOMIC CRIME') AND DEFINITION IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES. LEGAL, ECONOMIC AND CRIMINAL EXPERTS DISCUSSED THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CAPITALIST ECONOMIC CRIME AND ITS COMMUNIST COUNTERPART (WHICH IS EXCLUSIVELY DIRECTED AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT). THE CAUSES GIVING RISE TO NEW TYPES OF BUSINESS CRIME (TECHNICAL ADVANCES, INVOLVED INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS, RECENT GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS) WERE ANALYZED AND COMPARED TO SUCH TRADITIONAL OFFENSES AS BANKRUPTCY. PENAL EXPERTS SHOWED SPECIAL INTEREST IN WAYS TO PUNISH ECONOMIC OFFENDERS AS A SPECIAL TYPE OF CRIMINAL. FINALLY, THE NEED FOR EXTENDED RESEARCH EFFORTS DIRECTED AT THE PERSONALITY OF THE ECONOMIC OFFENDER WAS EMPHASIZED. THE SECOND DAY, WHICH WAS DEVOTED TO SPECIFIC CRIME PROBLEMS IN ITALY, DEALTH WITH TWO MAIN ASPECTS: (1) AMBIGUITIES IN THE ITALIAN LEGAL SYSTEM MAKE THE ABUSE OF PUBLIC MONEYS A PARTICULARLY LUCRATIVE OFFENSE WHICH IS HARD TO PROSECUTE, AND (2) FISCAL FRAUD IS PARTICULARLY PREVALENT IN ITALY SINCE IT IS ONLY PROSECUTED IF IT INVOLVES LARGE SUMS OF MONEY. IN CONCLUSION, THE CONFERENCE MEMBERS RECOMMENDED A TIGHT COOPERATIVE EFFORT INVOLVING ALL EXPERTS AND GOVERNMENT AGENCIES TO SUCCESSFULLY COMBAT ECONOMIC CRIME, WHICH WOULD HAVE TO TAKE PLACE WITHIN INDIVIDUAL COUNTIES AS WELL AS ON AN INTERNATIONAL LEVEL. THE ARTICLE CONTAINS NO ANCILLARY MATERIAL. --IN FRENCH (SAJ)